Last week I visited the WordPress forums because I was having some difficulty with uploading my blog’s header.
My problem was resolved promptly but for reasons unknown I hung around and responded to several posts regarding the machinations of the WP software.
I’m no BlogGod by any means but I feel I know WordPress fairly well enough to offer help.

While surfing the forum I came across a post titled, “If there’s a God, remove I CAN HAS CHEEZBURGER” (ICHC)

Fascinated with the uber-long thread of comments, I left one of my own.

In a nutshell, some bloggers are a bit “cheezed off” because this bad burger has been the #1 rated Top WordPress Blog ad nauseum and people wanted to know why.
And with good reason, I should add.
It’s a somewhat lame blog.
Different strokes, different folks, I guess.

The Cheezfest was set straight by several bloggers, Raincoaster being one of the WP forum angels to weigh in on the {oh no!} controversy.

RC is a frequent poster on the forum so if you’ve been there looking for advice, chances are you’ve seen the name.
I decided to check out the blog and have to say it’s very impressive.
I blogrolled and was pleasantly surprised to find my blog linked as well.

Raincoaster mentioned a site to me in light of the ICHC brew ha-ha called LOLNIN.

Turns out LOLNIN is a parody of sorts of ICHC using Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails as the blog’s main focus versus the sickeningly adorable cats on ICHC.
And believe me, I love cats but this site . . .
In order to completely appreciate the sheer brilliance of LOLNIN
you must first sadly visit ICHC .

That’s tonight’s assignment, folks.
And please at some point visit Raincoaster.
No crap, just a really cool blog with an even more awesome name.
Tell them ‘sneaker‘ sent ya

~m

Found a cool way to end the weekend.
Click on the scientist-type guy above and take a handwriting analysis test.
It’s short and sweet and won’t take much time.
Be sure to wait for your results.
If they’re anything like mine you’ll laugh your little keester off.

~m

{57}

This one is just too weird.
Click the “Stairway to Heaven” pictured above and give a listen to a segment of the tune
played backwards.
I realize it’s all about interpretation but I still think it’s pretty frickin’ creepy.
Check it out.
Have a serene weekend folks.

~m

Just a quickie.
My daughter Sarah sent me this very cool link.
Having a problem getting started writing lately?
Click the banner above and check out oneword.
You’ll see what I’m talking about.
You have 60 seconds . . . start writing.

~m

As a rule, I generally don’t do tags though I still owe a few of you out there a post (you tagee’s know who you are).
This one struck me differently than most because it has to do with food and I love food.

It has to deal with favorite places to eat.

If ever you should find me in the Lone Star state, I’ll surely be hanging with my good friend Fuzz (who tagged me and put up his own mouth-watering list of good eats—and what a list it is. Sign me up for the Mafia Queso. Good God).

Here’s how it goes; I list 5 of my favorite area restaurants and tag five bloggers to do the same.
An email informing them of the tag will help.
This is one serious meme.
The best local places to eat recommended by the local people that have actually eaten the food there.
It just doesn’t get any better than that, does it?

And away I go . . .

The Kenmore Diner, Worcester, MA

This all-night diner burnt to the ground in a tragic fire in December of 1999 that claimed the lives of 6 Worcester Firemen.
I believe it was re-built by late 2000 and seemingly never missed a beat.

This is home cooking at its very best.

Situated underneath a busy Interstate, plates have been known to move from the vibration.
And I always thought it was just because I had a buzz on.
Though they specialize in breakfast (the corned beef hash is absolutely to die for) they serve up much of the traditional diner fare: meatloaf and real mashed potatoes, American Chop Suey, a Pot Roast that rivals mine, Club Sandwiches and a Chef Salad that boasts what seems like almost impossible 2lbs of thinly sliced deli cold cuts.
At 3 bucks, a simple egg, cheese and pepper breakfast sandwich on a bulkie is culinary poetry. Incredible.
Even the waitresses are the bomb.

Wright’s Chicken Farm, Slatersville, R.I.

Family-style, rapid-fire, all you can eat, slow broasted chicken.
It comes with fries, salad, pasta, bread, butter and all the malt vinegar you can shake on your taters. It’s cheap and you always feel ‘barfing full’ when you leave.

Need I say more?

Baxter’s, Hyannis, MA {Cape Cod}

I’ll be dining on Baxter’s sometime this summer. (pictured above)
The wharf overlooks the scenic Hyannis harbour and is the quintessential ‘Cape Cod’ setting. The walk-in, stand in line and order your food restaurant is casual to say the least, perfect when you don’t feel like getting all gussied up.
And I never do when I’m on vacation.
Nor do my girls.

Baxter’s serves the sweetest boiled lobster I’ve ever had in my life and that’s before I plunge the chunks into warm, melted butter. (Don’t worry, I’ll be counting points)
Fried Clams, Scallops, Shrimp, Haddock, Calamari, Burgers – please, stop me before I burst an artery.
A few frosty ones and a red crustacean on the harbour at sunset with good friends and I understand all too well why I brave the nasty summer traffic down here.
Well, the lobster and the fact that my best friend Michael lives on the Cape as well.
We usually meet here.

Ronnie’s, Auburn, MA

The best damn Fried Clams within a one hundred mile radius.

The lobster rolls don’t suck either.
I usually leave with tartar sauce coursing through my veins.
Someone call my cardiologist.
I think I’m going down.
Soon.

Moe’s Southwest Grill, Worcester, MA

A Tex-Mex place that specializes in a burrito called “The Homewrecker” can’t be all bad. This sombitch is the diameter of a friggin’ firehose and costs less than six bucks.
No lie, folks.
And they make it right before your very eyes with all fresh ingredients.

Add a basket of their very own fresh tortilla chips and a cup of Queso and you’re golden.
When you walk in, everyone behind the counter yells, “Welcome to Moe’s!!!!”
{Hannah’s favorite part}

I’ve left out many favorites that have, for one reason or another, gone belly up.
My all time favorite was a quaint, little place called the El Morocco, a Lebanese restaurant where Pamela and I had our wedding reception.
It makes me sad that it’s no longer there.
But I have a better recipe for Hummus anyway. {8-)

People I’m tagging:

Annie

Moe

Carnealian

Spaz

And one out of the ordinary pick {Laho, post your faves in the comments or emaul me}

Laho

Don’t let me down guys.

This is one downright cool tag.
Thanks, Fuzz. This was a wicked blast.
Someday we really have to sit down to a plate of seriously hot ribs
and mucho cerveza’s amigo . . .

~m

btw ~

On an interesting note, this is how the meme got to me

Nicole (Sydney, Australia)
velverse (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
LB (San Giovanni in Marignano, Italy)
Selba (Jakarta, Indonesia)
Olivia (London, England)
ML (Utah, United States)
Lotus (Toronto, Canada)
tanabata (Saitama, Japan)
Andi (Dallas [ish], Texas, United States)
Lulu (Chicago, Illinois, United States)
Chris (Boyne City, Michigan, United States)
AB (Cave Creek, Arizona, United States)
Johnny Yen (Chicago, Illinois, United States)
Bubs (Mt Prospect, Illinois, United States)
Mob (Midland, Texas United States)
Yas (Ahwatukee, Arizona USA)
Alicia(Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA)
Tug (Hell, Colorado, USA)
Bond (Memphis, TN, USA)
TopChamp (Glasgow, UK)
Kailani (Honolulu, HI, USA)
Amber (Henderson, TN, USA)
the weirdgirl (San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA)
Fuzz – ( Spur, America)
Michael – (Boston, MA, USA)

This was my NASA Image of the Day on my IGoogle homepage
(and just too damn beautiful not to share)

From NASA:

“This image from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope shows infant stars “hatching” in the head of the hunter constellation, Orion. Astronomers suspect that shockwaves from a supernova explosion in Orion’s head nearly three million years ago may have initiated this newfound birth.

The region featured in this Spitzer image is called Barnard 30, located approximately 1,300 light-years away and sits on the right side of Orion’s “head,” just north of the massive star Lambda Orionis.

Wisps of green in the cloud are organic molecules called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These molecules are formed any time carbon-based materials are burned incompletely. On Earth, they can be found in the sooty exhaust from automobile and airplane engines. They also coat the grills where charcoal-broiled meats are cooked.

Tints of orange-red in the cloud are dust particles warmed by the newly forming stars. The reddish-pink dots at the top of the cloud are very young stars embedded in a cocoon of cosmic gas and dust. Blue spots throughout the image are background Milky Way along this line of sight.”

Click on the image above to go to the actual webpage

Alright, I’m not really a big, fat bastard.
I just liked the title.
Actually, truth be told, I needed to lose a few pounds and signed up for Weight Watchers Online the other night after some prodding from my lovely wife.
If you’re not familiar with the website let me tell you it’s intuitive beyond belief and makes the job of ‘keeping track’ of all things diet-related a breeze.
I chose what they call the Flex Plan, a well thought out diet regimen that allows me to eat essentially anything as long as I count the points.
Various portions are assigned numbers based on fiber, calories and total fat.
My magic number right now is 31 if you haven’t already guessed.
I tally my food points to 31 and stop stuffing the big yap. Simple.
I was concerned about one thing when I began though: BEER.
I was relieved when I found out that no, I don’t have to give up my beloved Guinness.
It does, however, cost me 2 points a bottle.
I figure that gives me 15 bottles of the brown stuff a day and 1 point to be used judiciously for food.
I’m already lovin’ this diet, people.
All kidding aside, I’m going for it and will keep you all posted on my progress.
Look for my post with an ‘after’ snapshot in about 2 months (ala Jared the skinny assclown from Subway)
{the snapshot was Annie’s idea}
I’ll be holding an old pair of jeans in one hand and an advertising contract from Weight Watcher’s in the other.
Yeah, right.
If you’re interested in WW, click on their logo up above.
And if you happen to be a member of the Tufts healthplan, you automatically save ten bucks.
God, I’m beginning to sound like an Amway salesman.
I’m off to grab some schweet watermelon (1 cup= 1 point See? it’s easy).

Later gators,

~m

I’ve heard some lame lyrics over the years and yep, here’s a site that actually lists the 20 worst of them.
Tickle the funny bone and click on Sade, the smooth operator up above.
Got a favorite rotten lyric?
Not that it matters, #13 & #4 kinda get me ‘achucklin . . .

~m

Found this site the other night and spent some serious time perusing the gallery.
Can’t say much more than simply amazing.
Click on the picture above for more.

~m

Grub Street:

Founded by writers for writers, Grub street is Boston’s only independent writing center. Our goal is to help writers with all aspects of the writing life, from finding inspiration to marketing a finished work.
Grub street offers high-quality workshops, events and professional development opportunities for writers of all levels.
It also offers the chance to be part of a community.
You can read your latest work at riot act, our open mike series.
Meet editors and agents at our annual Muse and the Marketplace conference.
Join us to discuss a new book with its author at our bookclub.
Or drop by on a Saturday morning for coffee and free-wheeling discussions on topics of interest to readers and writers.

This is where I will be tomorrow for my lunch hour.
A writing lunch hour.
I’m really excited and hope it goes well.

Just received this via email tonight:

See yourself in print
We’ve got some special news about tomorrow’s Brown Bag lunchtime seminar.
The seminar series is going to be featured in the Boston Globe, and a writer will be at the class taking photos and reporting on the event.
She’s even going to publish excerpts of selected work produced during the class!
This is a great opportunity to try to get your work (or your mug) in the paper, and a fun experience all around.

Am I ready?
Oh, yeah.
Will I get my name in the paper?
Who knows. Do I care?
I will just be happy to be there.
If it will improve my writing, coolbeans.
Say a prayer for me anyway that I find my creative nirvana. (LOL)
Lord knows, I don’t want to look like an asshole.
Click on the Grub Street logo above to check out their website.
~m

ps.
Check out my ‘Toonz’ at the bottom right of my sidebar.
I’ve uploaded some favorite tunes.
Right now they’re in MP4 format but I’m looking to change it to MP3.
If you have ITunes you shouldn’t have a problem listening.
If you don’t have ITunes, shame, shame . . . it’s free, folks.